Silica consists of silicon and oxygen. Due to the silicon's tetrahedral structure and upon reaction with oxygen, silica matrices can be formed. Silica matrices may form amorphous structures, such as mesoporous silica, which are unordered structures. A silica matrix can be used to form silica particles and silica films. During the formation of silica, the siloxane network can grow to a size which causes phase separation as silica particles. A silica matrix can be formed onto other surfaces as a coating. These silica particles and coatings have many applications in many fields, including agriculture, industry, and medicine.